easy oil change

[coffee]

I'm the owner of an old Merc and my daughter has one a bit newer,because of the crazy prices garages charge nowadays I try and do most of the servicing myself.One giant ballache with both of these is the underside trays which go the full length of the car and to access the drain plugs you have to get these off which means jacking the car up,putting it on axle stands to get the height to scramble underneath and pissarse about undoing the screws,getting the trays off just to get at the plug and when you've done the job doing the reverse.I looked at vacuum pumps some time ago but nearly all of them leave to much oil in the sump so deafed it out,but a mate of mine told me about a Sealey one,he said they're a bit more expensive than most of them but he said they almost scavenge all of the oil out.I bought one last week cost £60 and after using it I wish I'd got one years ago,it's absolutely brilliant,I really can't see how there can be much oil left when you've finished using it because it's the same amount as specified and anyway the drop that would be left wouldn't be a problem.A great bit of kit!

[BBROWN1664]

I can understand why people would use them but I have two issues with them.

1. Oil running out the drain hole takes sludge with it that may not be picked up by these pumps.
2. You still need to get underneath most cars to get to the oil filter anyway unless you don't replace that

[robbo]

Some Mercs have the oil filter fitted at the rear of the engine and is accessed from under the bonnet. Had an old E class a few years ago, took me ages to find the filter .

[coffee]

The bonus for me is both of our cars have an oil filter that's accessed from the top,it's the old type cartridge filter.I get the thinking of perhaps some sludge not draining like it would out of the drain plug,but I really get it hot so the oil will be thin when it comes out and depending where the probe is lying would bring pretty much everything out but for me I'll chance that for the time and inconvenience I save doing it with the pump.

[VNA - BMW Wank]

That's quite a handy general purpose tool.  Nice.
And I guess if you are usuing it for oil changes, as long as you do em regular it should be fine, and as you say hassle free.

[coffee]

I can now do an oil and filter change with no mess in just over half an hour,it used to take me that long just to get the car on stands!

[robbo]

I wonder if you could use that to change auto transmission fluid.

[celticbiker]

Yes, I have in the past but it depends on the how the filter is placed in the oil pan.
Never understood why they don't put strain plugs in auto trans boxes.
As for the op's problem, I have a couple of Hyundais and they sidestepped this problem by cutting a hole in the plastic tray where the drain bolt is and I made it even easier by adding a stahlbus drain.

[Stormbringer]

Great bit of kit.
I can use on my Mini Copper D and  the oil filter is on top of the engine at the front .

[fireblake]

I suppose you could also use an engine flush to capture some of the possible sludge in the sump.
I'll leave that can of worms just here?


Mickey

[celticbiker]

You just had to mention that didn't you.
Let's have a vote
Oil flush or not?

[coffee]

Maybe every 2nd or 3rd change for the flush.